Emergency Services Officer

Emergency services officer

Emergency services officers (ESOs) are the expected first line of response during times of an emergency. Their primary job is to give aid to those who are in dire need until medical emergency staff reach the location of the emergency

What are the roles of an ESO?

Depending on the location and type of organisation they are employed at, an ESO may conduct specific tasks like the following:

– Provision of efficient and effective emergency services in line with an organisation’s procedures and operations

– Development of emergency prevention plans

– Coordination and supervision of employee response plans

– Development and leadership in emergency service activities and training

– Specification and purchase of the correct and appropriate emergency response equipment

– Completion of inspections and audits

– Supervision of staff or team compliance

– Liaising with other emergency team professionals such as the bomb squad, the police, ambulance or the fire brigade.

What makes an ESO?

An emergency services officer is responsible for delivering the most professional emergency care to any emergency in the work environment. Therefore, they are expected to have obtained qualifications, licenses, and adequate training in:

First Aid

An emergency services officer must have an excellent knowledge of first aid. In the case of reviving someone, if somebody gets there on time and performs cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or commonly known as CPR, until the medical staff are ready to get there, it could save a life.

Basic Fire Fighting

An emergency services officer should have basic fire fighting training processes under control, such as understanding the appropriate fire extinguisher for a certain kind of fire in the workplace that is likely to experience. They must consider the hazards at the workplace, for example, a kitchen may have a high chance of generating fires because of the stove. A gas station, on the other hand, could see an explosion if a fire occurs. While there is specific training for dealing with these kinds of fires, ESOs will also be backed up by firefighters. 

HAZMAT

A certain kind of HAZMAT training is designed for people involved in handling hazmat, also known as hazardous materials, such as leaks, spills, accidents, and spreads. Hazardous materials and chemicals pose threats to health, life, properties, and the environment. With daily operations on certain industrial communities and plantations, it is a requirement that employers, businesses, and companies train their employees in handling and transporting hazmat. If companies do not adhere to laws and rules surrounding dealing with dangerous materials and chemicals, they can face huge fines and legal proceedings. It is therefore essential to enlist an emergency services officer to help workers understand the importance of dealing with hazardous materials safely. 

4WD Training

In dealing with different terrains, there are skills particular to 4WD such as electronic stability control that involves brakes and tractions and differential locks on top of manoeuvring wheel rotation to prevent individual wheels slipping. Both of these skills, on top of many more, are not easy to learn. Sometimes, terrains even involve mud and rivers, which can be quite dangerous.

Job opportunities

With the attained qualifications above, plus an excellent set of communication skills, job opportunities are endless for a person who would like to pursue a career as an emergency services officer. If an individual can remain calm under pressure, shows qualities of strong leadership, is hardworking and provides a high regard for safety with an interest in forestry and plantations, particularly in timber and other kinds of wood, potential employers include the following:

– forestry managers

– forestry, harvesting, and haulage contractors

– sawmills

– wood processors